'repent' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'repentir,' where 're-' meant 'again' and 'pentir' meant 'to feel regret.'

'repentir' transformed into the Middle English word 'repenten,' and eventually became the modern English word 'repent.'

Initially, it meant 'to feel regret or remorse,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.